religious
Charles Barry, 1829
Holy Trinity church, Cloudesley Square, N1 0HN
The Florence Trust is working from Holy Trinity for 15 months, running its international artist in residence programme from the grade II listed Holy Trinity on Cloudesley square. You are invited to the open studios and a look around the marvellous building.
Angel
Essex Road
43
The rear balcony is step only and the gallery space is via a garden path.
A working artists studio housing 12 practitioners. The vestry, rear balcony and other rooms will be accessible and artists studio doors open
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1827—1829 to the designs of Sir Charles Barry, a young architect at the time, who later went on to design the Houses of Parliament and to achieve international renown.
At the time it cost £11,899 to build, amongst considerable anxiety, and the budget over-ran by £899.
The building was designed in the Tudor Gothic style with stock brick, bath stone dressings and a slate roof and is said to be inspired by King’s College, Cambridge. There are a number of stained-glass windows still in situ, but the finest is the five-light east window designed by the renowned Thomas Willement (1786—1871), depicting Sir Richard Cloudesley, the benefactor of the Cloudesley Charity which gave the land.
Holy Trinity is Grade II* listed and forms the focal point of one of the best-preserved squares in the Barnsbury Conservation Area.
Thanks to the presence of The Florence Trust, Holy Trinity will be fully accessible during Open House.
The Florence Trust was founded as an educational charity by painter Patrick Hamilton and opened its doors to artists in 1990 with support from English Heritage and the Council for the Care of Churches.
Hamilton had worked in a large communal studio in Florence, Italy and was inspired to replicate the beautiful surroundings and atmosphere of exchange that he had found so productive, in London.
At the Florence Trust he created a place where exchange with other artists is productively encouraged and where the surroundings themselves add beauty and inspiration.
The Florence Trust was located at St Saviours, Highbury, a unique, Grade-1 listed, neo-gothic, former Anglican church, considered one of the best examples of the work of eccentric architect William White (1825-1900).
In 2023 The Florence Trust moved to its new home at Holy Trinity, to re-establish the residency program and carry on its work in supporting artists.
The Florence Trust also runs affordable studios space at the Charity Girls School, Edmonton.
Drop in / Family activity
community/cultural, concert/performance space, religious, online
A Grade I and II* treasure that’s home to an inclusive church, an award winning venue, a unique organ and The Margins Project for those in crisis in London. Family Organ Building Workshops are generously supported by the Institute of Physics.
James Cubitt, 1877
